


Every Little Thing

by strawberrylightning (orphan_account)



Category: AtLA - Fandom, Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cute, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Gen, I will finish this, M/M, Modern AU, Multi, Neighbors, Other, Sokka's a dick sometimes, Sweet, Violence, as a treat, but I love him, maybe a little smut, slight abuse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-16
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:54:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,810
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24754333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/strawberrylightning
Summary: In a modern day AU, Sokka and Lori are neighbors.After catching him spying on her, Lori gets roped into midnight adventures with him - finding he's the best friend she's had in a long time.Lori's mother has been sober for almost a year, but with her sister moving out and her deceased dad's birthday around the corner, she wants Lori all to herself.Will Lori choose friends over family?-updates often!!-
Relationships: Sokka (Avatar) & Reader, Sokka (Avatar)/Reader, Sokka/OC, Sokka/OFC, Zuko/Katara
Comments: 4
Kudos: 23





	1. Weirdo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> y'all already know... since A;TLA is on Netflix I've been binging it and geez I forgot how much I love Sokka
> 
> I was looking and there are like ZERO modern au Sokka/Reader or Sokka/OC fics so i decided to write my own!!
> 
> DISCLAIMER - THE SONGS FOR EACH CHAPTER DONT EXACTLY CORRESPOND TO THE EVENTS. ITS JUST THE VIBES FOR EACH CHAPTER... YALL GET IT
> 
> enjoy :))
> 
> SONG FOR THIS CHAPTER: "Maybe She" - Still Woozy

"This is, by far, the hottest day of summer."

"You said that yesterday, Lor."

"It's not my fault it keeps getting hotter!"

I huffed, shoving my sister over for better access to our box fan. We were sprawled out across the floor of the room we shared in as little clothes as possible, whining about the heat.

"When's the AC repair guy coming?" she asked.

"Aviana, I don't know. I don't keep track of him."

"Someone is supposed to. That's what we're paying him for, right?"

I stood up. "That's it. I'm going swimming. You coming?"

She sat up, a bead of sweat running down her fair-skinned face. "No. I hate swimming, you know that."

I shrugged. "Whatever. Don't come crying to me when you have a vitamin D deficiency."

I changed into my red bikini, tied my hair into a ponytail, and headed outside to our backyard. We weren't rich, by any means. We had landed a good deal with our landlord, who had known my mom forever. The pool in our backyard was without a doubt the nicest thing in our house - unless you count smoker's yellow walls and unstable, peeling cabinets as nice. But my mom worked hard to keep it nice for us - so hard that we barely even saw her.

I quickly scanned around for any unwanted audiences, then dove into the pool.

There's nothing like a swim in the pool on a scorching summer day, lemme tell you. The chills you get for that split second when you first dive in... perfection.

I swam a few laps and floated on my back, soaking up the late afternoon sun.

I pushed myself out of the water, backed up against the ledge, and did a double backflip. It was my most prized party trick, especially considering that I had been working on it for five years.

I had just come up out of the water and was wringing out my hair when I heard I thud from behind the fence, quickly followed by a pained "Umph!"

What was that?

I wrapped my hair in a towel, tossed on a t-shirt, and dragged a lawn chair to the side of the fence, standing on my toes to peek over the side.

Laying on the ground was a tall, olive-skinned boy, about seventeen or eighteen. His arms and shoulders were spotted with tattoos and his hair was shaved on the sides and tied into a short ponytail in the back.  
He grinned at me.  
"Hey."

"You good, dude?" I asked.

"Oh, yeah. All good. Just, um, inspecting the... grass." His grayish blue eyes held a mischievous glint.

"Oh." I nodded sarcastically. "So that sound was you... inspecting the grass? Not you falling from that ladder?" I questioned, pointing to the fallen ladder beside him.

"Sometimes, you know, the grass doesn't exactly pass the inspection, so you gotta give it some motivation." He punched the ground, winced, and shook his hand.

I couldn't hold back a laugh. "Just admit you were watching me, weirdo."

He stood up, dusting himself off. His tanktop was cut low on the sides and I accidentally peeped his abs.  
Hey, he watched me in a bikini. It's only fair.

"Fine, I was. The name's Sokka, by the way." He said, sticking out a hand.

"Cool name." I shook it.

"Cool hat." He replied, pointing to my towel.

"So how long have you been out here?" 

"Um... I saw the backflip. Pretty badass." 

I grinned. My party trick had worked its magic once again. "Why, thank you."

"I could do better though. On land, too." He said, shrugging.

My eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Really? What makes you think that?"

"Well, I do Jiu Jitsu. As you can probably tell." He stopped to flex his arms.  
Which were actually pretty muscular... and toned... but, not important.  
"And, you know, I'm a boy."

Oof.  
Really?

Instead of bursting into a rant, I decided to play the long game. Or longer, at least.

I nodded with fake sincerity once again. "Right, right, of course. You know, I'd love it if you could show me. Since you do Jiu Jitsu and everything."

His eyes widened. "Uh, well, actually, I think my grandma might need me for some-"

"Sokka! Whatcha doin?" A girl called from the back porch of his house.  
She looked very similar to him, but shorter, with wider, bluer eyes. She smiled at me.

"Oh, see, that's my sister Katara. She probably needs me to help her move something heavy. What's up, sis?" He called to her.

"Nothing. Just seeing what you were doing." She answered, trotting over to us. Her dark curls bounced behind her.

"You sure? You don't need any help?"

"With what?"

"Anything."

She frowned. "No, stop being weird. I'm Katara." She said, turning to me. I shook her hand. 

"I'm Lorelei. Call me Lori."

"Is my brother being an ass to you?" She asked, clearly knowledgeable of her brother's antics.

"No, actually, he was gonna show me his double backflip."

Katara raised her eyebrows. "Were you now?"

He chuckled sheepishly. "Yep."

I waved my hand towards the grass. "Please. Show us."

He stepped back, feet apart and arms out in front of him. Every second he hesitated brought me more and more satisfaction.

"Do it already, Sokka." Katara said, shaking her head impatiently.

"I am! Just give me a second." He fussed.

He launched up and backwards, making the first flip but not completing the second one. He landed on his face and Katara and I burst into laughter, clapping and hollering.

"So much for being a boy, huh?" I joked. He stood up, legs wobbling. A cut ran through his left eyebrow and started to drip blood onto his eye. 

"Oh, gosh, are you okay?" I started, concerned. I pushed up against the fence and hopped it, landing on my feet.

He looked dazed. "I totally stuck that landing." He mumbled.

"Let's get him inside." Katara said, ushering him towards the house. "Lori, come in." 

I followed.

Their house was minimally decorated, but nice. I spotted a picture on the wall of Sokka and Katara and their parents, but they looked really young... the picture must have been old.

Katara sat Sokka down at their kitchen island. I grabbed a paper towel, wet it, and began to dab at the cut while Katara got bandages.

"Sokka. Hey." I said, tapping the side of his face lightly. Jeez, his jawline was sharp.

His eyes fluttered. "I'm alive."

"Try to stay awake, okay? You could have a concussion."

"Thanks, doctor." He seemed to be regaining consciousness quickly. "I guess that's what I get for trying to show you up, huh?"

His eyes flickered to mine. As much of a dick as he was being less than five minutes ago, I could tell he was being sincere.

"It's alright, Sokka. I kind of coerced you into it. Now you know better."

Katara returned with a box of bandaids. "Yet another lesson in the chapter titled, 'Just Because You're A Boy Doesn't Mean You're Better At Everything.'"

"Woah. What happened?" A voice sounded from behind me.

A baldheaded, wide-eyed boy stood at the end of the stairs. He was probably slightly younger than Katara - maybe fourteen or fifteen.

"Sokka tried to backflip and busted his face." Katara answered.

The boy came over, locking eyes with me and smiling.

"I'm Aang." 

"Lori."

I shook his thin hand. The innocent, happy-go-lucky look in his eyes make me like him immediately.

"Is this your little brother?" I asked Katara while she bandaged Sokka's head.

"Uh... something like that. Gran Gran has legal guardianship of him." Katara answered. Aang flashed a charming smile. 

I stared a second too long at him as he fiddled with the box of bandages. She leaned over and whispered, "Alopecia."  
Ohhh.

"Alright. Your head should be fine, mister. Just no more showing off." She said, tapping the side of Sokka's head.

A blush developed under his tan, freckled cheeks. "Shut up."

I giggled softly. "I should probably head back to my house. I think I'm dripping on your floor."

"Sorry about Sokka's awful first impression. We're happy to meet you." Katara said, brushing a loose curl behind her ear.

"Oh, no problem. If anything, it was an impression I'll never forget. Let's hang out more." I laughed. "Bye, Aang."

"Bye, Lori!" He waved goodbye with another huge smile. Sweet kid.

An old woman's voice called Katara upstairs. She said goodbye and darted off.

"Before I go, you got a pen?" I asked Sokka.

He raised an eyebrow, but grabbed one off the counter and handed it to me.

"Give me your hand." I said.

"Huh?"

"Just do it."

He gave me his hand. I opened it and wrote my number on his palm. 

"Call me sometime, 'kay?"

He looked up at me, slightly shocked. "Uh... yeah, 'kay."

I flashed him a smile, left the house, and used the ladder to hop back over the fence. I guess the AC being broken had one good side effect... making some new friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading friends!!
> 
> don't forgot to drop a kudos and a comment telling me what you think and what you'd like to see happen! i love feedback :)
> 
> xoxo - strawberrylighting


	2. Float

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SONG FOR THIS CHAPTER: "Let Her Go" - Mac Demarco

"Who were you talking to over the fence?" Avi asked me as we got ready for bed that night. 

"The neighbor boy, Sokka."

"He's cute." She said, elbowing me as I rubbed moisturizer on my face.

"Slow down, Avi. We're just friends. We literally met like 6 hours ago."

She raised her hands in surrender. "Hey. I'm just saying he's cute."

I flashed her a warning look, silently telling her to drop the subject.

"Will you braid my hair?" She asked.  
I huffed. "Will you make me a grilled cheese?"  
She nodded.  
"Alright, sit down."

She sat on the floor against our shared full size bed while I sat above her with a brush and a hair tie. I began to run the brush through her dark locks, a stark contrast to my honey-colored hair. I got it from my dad - my mom reminded me constantly.

"Hey, so, I was thinking, um, about... moving... out." Avi said softly.

I scoffed. "Yeah, to where?"

"In with my boyfriend."

My hands stopped braiding. "Wait, you're serious?"

I couldn't see her face, but I knew the worried expression she had on. "Lor, listen. I'm almost twenty. I chose not to go to college because of what happened with Dad, and Mom needed me... but we're past that. I need to have a life, and I want to have one with Ben." 

No. No, no, no.  
This can't be happening.

Avi was pretty much all I had left, with Dad gone and Mom working nonstop at the hospital. She was my best friend, my rock, my sister. I needed her.

"Avi, no. You can't leave me here." I said, forcing down the bubble of panic rising in my throat.

"Leave you? It's not like I'd never see you again. And Mom's in a good place now, you know that." She reasoned.

I could tell by her careful tone that she knew how I would react. She thought I would freak out and guilt her into staying.  
But I knew if I was in her position, I'd want to get the hell out and move on too.  
Aviana sort of became Mom's babysitter for a year after Dad passed away. She was unstable - they put her on antidepressants, bipolar meds, all sorts of shit. Now that Mom was fine again and got her job back, Avi could live her life. 

Tears welled in my eyes as I finished up the braid. "I just don't know what I'm gonna do without you." 

She flipped around, her worried blue eyes meeting my caramel ones. She reached up and wrapped herself around me, burying her face in my neck. 

"It's okay, Lorelei. You're gonna do fine." She mumbled against my hair, stroking the back of my head. 

She pulled back. "It's time for you to be the big girl." She laughed through soft tears.

I breathed a deep breath. I trusted her - she was doing what was better for all of us.

My heart stopped. "How are you gonna tell Mom?"

She smiled. "I already did. She didn't take it well at first, but now she's in support of it."

"Mom? Our mom?"

"The very one."

A sigh of relief escaped my lips. "So you told Mom before me?"

She shrugged, the braid falling over her shoulder. "I wasn't sure how you would take it. I'm glad it went like this though."

Avi and I curled up in our bed. I wasn't a clingy sleeper, but I held on to her like she would float away if I didn't.  
I knew she had to, but that could wait till morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this one was really short I'm sorry :/ 
> 
> let me know what you thought in the comments!!
> 
> xoxo - strawberrylightning


	3. Sleepyhead

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SONG FOR THIS CHAPTER: "New Flesh" - Current Joys

My peaceful sleep was interrupted by my phone buzzing against my skin. I groaned, pulling my phone to my half-open eyes.

A random number was calling. At two o'clock in the freaking morning.  
Who the hell?

I was going to click it off but my half-concious brain prompted me to answer it.

"Hello?" I said groggily.  
"Good, you're awake." A chipper voice answered. "Meet me outside."  
"Who is this?" I asked, completely disoriented.  
"It's Sokka."  
"Sokka? What the hell, dude?"  
He giggled, clearly amused. "Come on, sleepyhead. You're gonna wanna see this."  
He hung up. 

I groaned again, rolling out of bed. Why I was getting up to meet the cute neighbor boy outside at two A.M., I did not know. But I was doing it.

I changed quickly into some gym shorts and a hoodie, rubbed some blush on my cheeks and nose, and brushed my hair before heading outside.

Sokka had the ladder leaned against the fence and was standing on it, grinning.

"When I said, 'Call me sometime,' I didn't mean two o'clock in the morning." I complained. Normally I wouldn't be so prickly, but I wasn't exactly a morning person. Or a waking up person.

He laughed. "Come on, hop the fence."

I muttered under my breath as I did so. As I landed in his yard, I noticed the sort-of-distant sound of bumping bass and people chattering.

"Okay, follow me. And try not to bust your ass."

He strutted over to a garbage can that was leaned against both the fence and his garage and used it to hop onto the garage roof. He stood with his hands on his hips, jerking his head for me to follow.

"Why am I doing this?" I muttered once again as I followed suit.

From the garage roof, we climbed onto the real roof, and then onto a shingled ledge under a bedroom window, facing the next street over.

"This is my bedroom, don't worry. I come out here all the time." He clarified. We both sat down on the ledge, facing the street.  
He pointed to a house that was lit up with dancing LED lights and crawling with people.

"Ooh, a party." I said, my sudden interest waking me up. 

"Not just any party. James McMonroe's party." 

I turned to face him. "Wait, didn't you guys just move in? How do you know James McMonroe?" He was the infamous dickhead quarterback whose daddy owned the school we went to. Always causing trouble, never paying the price. 

"He was harassing Katara at the 7-11 the other day. I wasn't gonna put up with it, so we got into it... and he gave me this." He said. I squinted to see him pointing to a fading cut on the side of his lip. 

I winced. Not unlike James. "So what are you gonna do?"

He took a deep breath of excitement. "Call the cops."

"That's it?" I asked, deflated.

"Yeah. What's wrong with that?"

"Sokka, you woke me up at two o'clock in the morning to watch you call the cops on a party? We might as well have some fun with this." I started to push open his window. "Come on, let's get dressed. We're going to a party."

***

Sokka watched as I put on some of his clothes, criticizing my plan. 

"But they'll know it's us."

"That's the point of the disguises, silly. They're all drunk, anyway." I said, tying a shoelace around my waist to cinch Sokka's jeans I was wearing.

I sat down on the edge of his bed and cuffed the jeans. "Your room is a mess." I commented.

"I've been busy." He answered, shoving a pile of clothes under his cluttered desk.

I laughed. "I'm just messing with you, chill."

He rolled his eyes, a slight blush illuminated by the lamp on his desk. "Let's just go over the plan again."

I slid on one of his t-shirts and tied it in a knot above my bellybutton. God, his clothes smelled good... which was odd considering the state of his room.  
"We get in there, get some dirt on James, steal some alcohol, and get out. Then we call the cops."

"What if there's no dirt to get?"

"Like I said, they're all drunk. If not him, someone will do something blackmail-worthy. Just remember to record whatever it is on your phone."

I slid a beanie onto his head, mindful of the cut, and slid a baseball cap onto mine. He handed me a pair of sunglasses and put a pair on.

"And if anyone asks, we're...?" He started.

"College students."

"Siblings?"

"Dating, duh. We don't look anything alike." I laughed. "Let's go."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi dear friends!! another short chapter I know but the next ones finna slap
> 
> I appreciate all feedback so don't forget to drop a kudos and comment!!
> 
> also stream Do I Wanna Know by Arctic Monkeys ok that's all
> 
> xoxo - strawberrylightning


	4. Play it Cool

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SONG FOR THIS CHAPTER: "To Dance is to Love" - Charlie Burg

We strutted into the party, music blasting and drunk teenagers stumbling down the halls. 

"Stay close." Sokka whispered into my ear. Part of me wondered why he was being protective, especially since we just met earlier that day... and part of me liked it.

I hooked my arm through his muscular one as we walked around, scanning the crowd.

"This house isn't the McMonroes', is it?" He asked. "They're rich." "Yeah, this house is Addison Carly's." "Who's that?" he asked.  
"Addison is a freshman. Probably fifteenish. There were rumors that she and James were dating."

I could see his eyes widen behind his sunglasses. "She's a minor."

I grinned. "I think we found our dirt. Now we just have to catch them together."

"Hey!" Someone called from across the kitchen. 

Our heads snapped towards the voice.

"You two need a drink?"

A tall, light-haired boy held up two red solo cups, motioning for us to come over. My heart stopped. I'd know that floppy blond hair and those sharp features anywhere. Max Carly. I started to turn around, pretending not to hear him, but Sokka pulled us towards him. He didn't seem to catch my silent pleas to go somehwere else. 

"I don't think I've seen you guys tonight." Max commented, wiping a blue liquid off the side of his mouth.

Play along.

"We've been party-hopping all night." I giggled, looking adoringly at Sokka.

He nodded. "Yall go to AHS?"

Sokka chuckled. "Oh, no. We go to AHU."

The boy's dark eyes widened. "Ah, me too! I'm sure we've passed each other on campus, then."

I clung to Sokka's arm, my shaking hands twisting my jaded butterfly ring.  
He'd been at coIlege for what, two years? I thought I'd never have to see his stupid, stupid face again.  
This was bad. And not to mention - he didn't seem to be wasted.

I nodded, smiling nervously. "We're gonna go dance. Gotta hit a couple more parties tonight."

i turned us both around, heading for the living room.

"But I didn't get your names!" Max called as we walked away.

As soon as we were in the sea of dancing teenagers out of Max's sight, we turned to each other. 

"We have to play it very, very cool." I said, voice melting into the music.

"What? Oh shit, I think he's coming over here." Sokka said, looking behind my shoulder. He quickly wrapped his arms around my waist, drink still in hand, and began to dance. I followed suit.

I pressed my mouth against his ear and repeated myself.

"Why?" he asked, his warm breath against my neck. 

"Max isn't drunk. Or that drunk, at least. He can't find out that we're here. He'd know about everything we're about to do."

He pulled back, a confused look on his face.  
"How do you know his name? Did something happen between you two, Lor?"

I huffed.  
This was honestly the last thing I wanted to talk about.  
But gazing into Sokka's sweet, concerned eyes, I felt like I had known him forever. And I said it before I had enough time to think.

"My freshman year, he was a senior. I used to be friends with Addison, since we live so close. I would come over all the time, and Max would flirt with me. Constantly, until it got to the point of him making unwanted advances. I was fifteen." 

Sokka's eyes widened but he waited for me to finish.

"I kept telling him no. Finally he got so pissed, he started rumors that I slept with another girl, and everyone avoided me like the black plague. I tried to tell everyone what really happened, but no one believed me. I lost all my friends, and not long after I lost my dad." I said, my voice cracking. 

He pulled me close and hummed against my ear.

"I'm sorry, I'm never this emotional." I apologized, sniffling.

He pulled away again and smiled. "Hey, it's okay. Now you've got me. And Katara and Aang, I guess."

A smile grew on my face. "Yeah, I do."

We gazed at each other for a second.

The familiar discomfort that came with being vulnerable reminded me what we were here for... revenge. More or less.  
I swiped a rogue tear off my cheek and peeked over Sokka's shoulder to check for Max. "It's clear, we should get a move on. Let's go look for James and Addison."

He nodded. His hands left my waist and we headed upstairs to check the bedrooms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I KNOW IT WAS SHORT DONT KILL ME
> 
> see the thing is these were pre-written and they felt longer then lmao
> 
> I promise, promise, promise they will get longer from here on out
> 
> I love u guys so much!! comments!! I love them!! i love y'all!!! ok im going bye


	5. Payback

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SONG FOR THIS CHAPTER: "Kickback" - Omar Apollo

We opened door after door, each revealing a couple making out or something further, but none of them were Addison and James. The only place left to check was the master bedroom.

"You got your phone out?" I asked as we stood in front of the door.

"Yep. Hope they're ready for some paparazzi."

I opened the door as quietly as possible, and lo and behold, there lay Addison Carly and James McMonroe, tongues down each other's throats.

Sokka held his finger on the camera button, snapping as many pictures as possible. The flashing light quickly got their attention and they both turned to look at us. We got one more pic of their stunned faces, slammed the door, and ran out laughing.

We took off, pushing through groups of disoriented teens, and out the house. We laughed as we sprinted into Sokka's backyard, climbing the same path we did earlier and onto the ledge facing the Carlys' house.

We both doubled over, panting in between laughs.

"That... was priceless. His face was like," Sokka laughed, mimicking James' face.

"Wait! We forgot to steal the alcohol." I compained.

"Did we?" He asked, pulling a bottle of tequila out of his hoodie.

A smile broke out on my face. "When did you grab this?" "Took it out of some blackout drunk's hand while you were finding out whose house it was." I elbowed him playfully. "Sokka, you're officially the best."

"I'm aware of that." He smirked.

I popped out the cork and took a swig, too hyped up on adrenaline to feel the burn.

"You ready?" Sokka asked.

"More than ever. I'm recording this."

He whipped out his phone and dialed 911, taking on the voice of a very tired, very high-pitched old lady.

"911, what's your emergency?" The voice on the phone asked.  
"Uh, yes, 911, a horde of rambunctious teenage hooligans are having a very loud party while I am trying to sleep. I believe there's alcohol involved." He said, smacking my arm to stop my laughing.  
"We'll send some officers right over, ma'am. What's your location?"  
He rattled off the Carlys' address, pulling the phone away to giggle. "Alright, ma'am, they're on their way." The operator answered. "Thank you, dear. Have a nice night." He finished, clicking off the phone.

"I didn't know you knew so many big words." I managed through teary-eyed laughter.

"Word of the day calendar."

He grabbed the tequila out of my hand and took a couple sips.

I took a deep breath and regained my composure.  
"Okay, honest question time." I started, turning to face him. 

"Shoot."

"Why did you call me? You met me, like, less than twenty-four hours ago." I said, chuckling softly. "I mean, I'm so, so glad you did, but why me?"

His eyes flickered to me, then away. "I don't know." He shrugged. "It was kind of spontaneous. I mean, we just moved here, and I don't really know anyone, and when I met you I just felt this crazy connection. And somehow I kind of knew you'd come." He blurted, meeting my eyes.

I smiled softly without even noticing. "I had more fun tonight than I have in a really long time, Sokka. Thank you."

He flashed a grin, showing off his dimples. "I'm really glad you came."

Blaring police sirens faded into earshot and it wasn't long until a couple of cop cars came ripping down the street.

"Ooh, ooh, here we go." I said, getting my camera ready.

I recorded as cops busted into the house and teenagers fled like roaches under a spotlight. Sokka and I were nearly peeing ourselves laughing as we watched them run, trip, jump fences, and even get arrested. 

"Wait, wait, wait, is that James?" Sokka asked, pointing. I followed his finger and spotted a tan, curly-haired figure being yanked to a cop car by the handcuffs. 

"Holy crap, you think they got him?" I laughed in surprise.

"Our plan worked." 

"Talk about payback." I said, high fiving him.

We both took a swig from the tequila.

We waited until the teenagers had dispersed and the cops left, making comments here and there. "Well, I guess I should get going. It's three thirty." I stood up, dusting off my jeans.

He got up too, standing only a few inches away from my face. His eyes, silver under the moonlight, pleaded with me to stay. "Do you have to?"

"Yeah, I've got to work tomorrow." I sighed. Everything in me wanted to stay. 

His fingers brushed mine, sending electric sparks shooting up my arm.

"Where do you work?" 

"Brew, that little coffee shop on Main and Magnolia."

"Maybe I should come visit you."

Our fingers interlocked.

"Maybe you should."

Silence. 

We both stood there, gazing into each other's eyes.

I let go of his fingers even though it pained me to. "Crazy day, huh?"

He laughed softly. "Yeah. Crazy day."

I turned, looking over my shoulder at him. "Goodnight, Sokka."

"Goodnight, Lori."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> what's yalls favorite character fromt the show and why?
> 
> love you thanks for reading babes  
> xoxo - strawberry :)


	6. (S)Mother

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SONG FOR THIS CHAPTER: "bellyache" - billie eilish

I crawled back into bed with Avi at 3:45 am and passed out as soon as my head hit the pillow.

***

"Lori, get up. It's 10:30." Avi's voice called, stirring me from my glorious sleep.

I groaned. "Let me sleep, you witch."

She tore my blanket away. "You have to go to work! Get up!"

I laid there for a second until her words registered in my mind. I snapped up. "Shit! Work!"

I stood up in front of the mirror. I laughed softly to myself...I slept in Sokka's clothes that I borrowed that night.  
And it all came rushing back to me - every moment. Avi raised an eyebrow. "Don't ask." I warned.

I showered as quickly as possible and got ready. I was more thankful than ever that my shift didn't start until noon.

Right as I was about to walk out the door, Avi stopped me.

"Hey, Dad's birthday is coming up. Just keep a close eye on Mom, okay?" She said, brushing a loose lock of hair behind my ear.

I nodded. "I will. And don't mention anything about the neighbor boy to her, okay?"

She frowned. "Why not?"

I fiddled with my old butterfly ring. "I just don't think she'd take it well." 

She sighed. "You shouldn't have such low expectations of her, Lor." "I'm basing this off of experience. Just... keep it on the DL, okay?" She gave in and nodded. "Love you, stinker."

I rolled my eyes. "Bye, grandma."

***

I messed up about eight drinks in the first two hours of my shift thinking about the previous night's events. My manager seemed to finally have enough and pulled me aside.

"Hey, what's going on with you? You're not usually this distracted." She asked.

"I didn't sleep well last night." I lied. 

"Is everything okay with your mom?" She asked quietly. 

I nodded, lightly tapping my ring. "No, yeah, everything's fine. I'm just tired, I promise."

She didn't seem convinced. "Alright, well, I need you to pull it together. Get a drink if you need to, okay?"

I smiled. "Okay. Thanks."

"Lorelei, there's someone here for you!" my coworker called from the counter.

I peeked my head out from the back to spot Sokka, Aang, Katara, and another tall, shaggy-haired guy standing behind the counter, all smiling and waving. My heart fluttered at the sight of Sokka and I cracked a smile.

My coworker let me take their order.

"I told you I'd come visit you." Sokka said with a pleased smirk as I walked up to them.

"I didn't expect you to follow through so soon." I laughed. "Who's this?" I pointed to the tall guy next to Katara. He had a scar all around his left eye - it looked like a burn. Hm. Other than that, he was pretty good-looking.

"I'm Zuko." He said, sticking out his hand.  
"My boyfriend." Katara clarified as we shook hands.

I nodded with raised eyebrows. Good for you, girl.  
"Can I get you guys something to drink?"

They all rattled off their respective orders, Aang and Zuko deciding on tea.

After they had paid, Sokka stuck around while the others wandered off to find a table.

"Meet me outside, same time as last night?" He whispered.

"Sokka, I really shouldn't. I need to sleep..."

His sweet grin made me lose my train of thought. 

"Yeah, yeah, okay. Two a.m." I agreed, laughing at myself.

He smiled wider. "Great."

"Great."

We stared at each other for a second too long. 

Stop it, I said to myself.

"Do you only wear tank tops?" I blurted, breaking the silence. 

He cocked an eyebrow. "Do you want me to stop wearing tank tops?" 

No, absolutely not. I rolled my eyes. "Go get your drink." 

"Uh huh. That's what I thought."

"Shut up."

He gasped exaggeratedly. "You shouldn't speak that way to your customers." 

The people standing behind him in line started to stare at me.

"I know him." I clarified.

Sokka winked before walking away. 

This boy was no good for me, and yet, he was perfect.

***

I decided to stay up that night instead of sleeping beforehand. It was only two a.m, anyway.

I was downstairs making myself some food when the door opened.

My mom hummed to herself as she walked into the kitchen. Her graying hair was tied back into a bun and the dark circles under her eyes only intensified how tired she seemed.

"Oh! Lor, you're awake." She said, almost jumping when she spotted me.

I smiled. "Yeah, just making a midnight snack."

She glanced at my full plate. "More like a midnight meal." 

"I forgot to eat dinner."

She hummed to herself, setting her keys on the counter.

"Did you work today?" 

I nodded, not making eye contact with her.

"How was it?"

I smiled to myself, remembering my visitors. "It was nice."

"Nice?"

I looked up to meet her tired green eyes. 

"Yeah. Why?"

She shrugged. "You never say work is nice."

"I think it's nicer now that it's summer and I'm not in school." I fibbed. My hand itched for my ring but she knew better.

She was quiet for a minute. "Your sister is moving out. Did she tell you?"

"Yeah. How do you feel about it?" 

She sighed. I knew she hated when I tried to get all therapist on her. But she answered honestly.

"I'm upset. I don't want her to leave. I'm trying to put on a good front for her, and be supportive, but it's hard." She answered, eyes on the floor.

I had to consciously keep my jaw from dropping.  
My own mother? Being honest? With me?

"I know. It's hard for me too." I breathed. "But you still have me."

She smiled tiredly. "Yeah, I still have you."

Considering her incredibly vulnerable mood, I decided to test something on her.

"Hey Mom?"

"Yeah?"

"How would you feel about me dating someone? Just, like, theoretically?"

She frowned slightly. "Are you trying to come out to me?"

"Oh, no. No, I'm straight."

She nodded, eyebrows still pinched. "No."

"No what?"

"No, you can't date anyone."

A tiny bit of rage ignited within me, but I suppressed it. I had to maintain my calm.

"Why not?"

"You're not eighteen."  
That was not even close to the full truth.

"I'm seventeen. What does that even have to do with it?"

A spark of anger ignited in her eyes. "Don't talk back to me. I just... Avi's moving in with her boyfriend. You're all I have left, okay? I'm not about to lose you to some boy anytime soon." She stood up from the counter, signaling she was done with the conversation.

I clenched my jaw. There was the real answer. She wanted to hold on to me like she held onto Avi.

Suppress.  
Suppress.  
Suppress.

I nodded understandingly. "Okay."

"Thank you for having a good attitude, honey." She kissed the top of my forehead. "You're looking really thin. Make sure you eat all of that." She said, pointing to my plate. 

I dug my nails into my palm. Did she think I was too fat or too skinny?

"Goodnight, mom." I said sweetly.

She blew me a kiss as she retreated upstairs.

I don't care what she said.

I wasn't going to let her smother me out of a life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heheheh did y'all see what I did with the title? I thought it was pretty clever
> 
> who's your favorite atla ship and why?? 
> 
> xoxo - strawbs :)


	7. Origin Stories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SONG FOR THIS CHAPTER: "Freaking Out on the Interstate" - Briston Maroney
> 
> At the end of the fic I'll give you guys the link for the spotify playlist :)

I didn't finish my food, just to spite her.

"Who does she even think she is?" I whispered to no one, pacing the room. Avi was curled up in our bed fast asleep.

"I cannot believe... I just... ugh!"

I knew, somewhere down in her twisted, confused heart, that Mom loved me and wanted the best for me. 

I also knew that she was selfish and manipulative.

Every time that thought popped up, a part of me counteracted it with pity. Dad died, she became a druggie, her life fell apart... she deserved some grace, I would say.

And then I remembered the drugged-up rants she went on about how Dad's death was my fault.  
And every time she hit me or Avi.  
And every time we had to pump her stomach because she overdosed.

Even though that wasn't her anymore, she damaged me in a way I could never fix.  
And a tiny, tiny part of me hated her for that.

My phone buzzed in the back pocket of my jeans. A wave emoji was calling - the wave resembled the band tattoo around Sokka's left bicep. A little code in case Mom ever got ahold of my phone.

"I can see you." He said as I picked up.

"Well, hello to you too." 

I peeked out of the blinds of my window and spotted him on the ladder again, waving.

"You're pacing." He stated.

"I am. You're watching me again. I'm gonna start calling you Joe."

"Joe?"

"From You? The show where he stalks that girl?"

"Never seen it."

I sighed. "It's creepy. Like you."

"Are you coming down or not?"

"Gimme a second."

I hung up and quietly made my way out to the backyard, careful to use the garage door instead of the squeaky back door.

I grabbed my trusty chair and hopped the fence for what felt like the fifteenth time in two days.

"Alright. What's tonight's plan? We robbing a bank?" He asked, hands on his hips.

"Well, first, I'm gonna need your hoodie. I didn't realize it was gonna be breezy out." I said, rubbing my bare arms.

He gave me a "Seriously?" look but pulled off his maroon sweatshirt and handed it to me. I slid it on, taking in the warm laundry smell he seemed to carry around.

The sleeves hung over my wrists and I snuggled them up to my face. "Ooh, it's so soft. I might have to borrow this one for a while."

"First my jeans and my t-shirt, now my favorite hoodie? No. You are not stealing my clothes."

I smacked his arm with my sleeve. "Pshh. I was planning on giving them back."

He rolled his eyes, grinning, and climbed onto the garage roof, not waiting for me to follow. 

I caught up to him on the ledge.

"What were you pacing for?" He questioned as I sat down next to him.

I shook my head. "Just... my mom."

"Your mom what?"

"She's just... ugh. I don't want to talk about it." I dismissed the topic by waving my hand.

He was quiet for a second.

"Do you wanna go for a drive?"

"What?"

"That's what I do when I'm in a pissy mood. I go for a drive, late at night when nobody's on the road. Nothing feels better that that." He explained.

"I'm not in a pissy mood." I muttered.

"Yes or no?"

"Yes."

He hopped down from the ledge and onto his front lawn. 

I crab crawled to the edge.

"You'll catch me, right?" I asked, gripping the gutter.

"Lorelei. It's like, seven feet." He deadpanned.

"And? I could break an ankle."

"I'm getting in the car." He said, turning around. 

"Who's really in the pissy mood?" I mumbled, hesitantly jumping down. I managed to bend my knees enough to keep my ankles from taking the shock... otherwise I'd have been a goner.

Sokka unlocked his red Honda Accord and I slid into the passenger seat, taking a deep breath. It smelled like warm leather...did anything this boy owned not smell good?

He jangled the keys and turned the car on. 

"What do you want to listen to?" He asked, plugging the AUX cord into his phone.

I hummed. "Um... Childish Gambino."

"Ayeeee." He high fived me, signifying his approval.

"Redbone" bumped from the speakers as we pulled out of the neighborhood and onto the empty highway.

***

All the windows rolled down, good music blasting from the speakers, going ninety down the highway with Sokka's arm on the back of my seat - he was right. Nothing was better than this.

I rested my feet up on the dashboard as I sang along to another Childish Gambino song, drumming my fingers on my leg.  
The night wind whipped against my face and blew my braided hair every direction.

"How do you feel?" He yelled over the wind.

I tried to pretend to frown, but I couldn't hide my smile. "This is fantastic."

He grinned, obviously pleased with himself. "Are you hungry?"

"Always." I answered.

He slowed down, exited the highway, and pulled into a McDonald's.

"Whaddya want?" 

He pulled his arm off of my seat and I didn't realize his fingertips had been resting on my shoulder until he moved them.

"M'n'M McFlurry." I stated immediately. My McDonald's go to, every time.

He chuckled to himself. "Aang always gets that."

He ordered a whole meal and an extra fry, probably presuming I was going to take some of his to dip in my McFlurry. And he was right.

After paying and getting our food, we drove to our highschool across the street and parked in the parking lot.

Sokka opened the door and got out of the car. I cocked my head to the side in confusion.

"Come on!" He said, waving for me to follow. I shrugged, taking my McFlurry with me. It seemed like I was always following Sokka somewhere, and he had yet to let me down, so I wasn't stopping now.

We jogged out to the football field, food in hand, and climbed to the top of the bleachers.

I tried to hide my slightly heavy breathing... geez, I need to get back into doing cardio.

"Do you take all your little girlfriends out here?" I asked with wide eyes and mock adoration.

He rolled his eyes, smirking. "No, we just moved here, dummy. I've never been out here. Just thought it might be fun."

I turned to sit cross-legged opposite him. "Okay, honest question time, since that seems to be what we do at this point of the night." I said with a mouth full of ice cream. "How many people have you dated?"

He sighed, staring at the bright moon over our heads. "Hm... two. I had my first girlfriend was when I was fifteen, it didn't last very long though."

"Why?"

"She, um... passed away."

My eyes widened. "Oh, shit, I'm sorry."

"No, no, it's okay. Don't worry about it."

A few seconds of humiliating silence passed. Way to go, Lorelei. You asked him about his dead girlfriend.

"My second..." he started, taking a bite of a french fry. "was this girl named Suki in sophomore year." A hint of a smile passed his face.

I wasn't going to ask him how they broke up in fear of a worse answer than the first one.

He shook his head and turned to me. "What about you?"

"Uh..." I laughed awkwardly. "I actually... haven't dated anyone before."

His eyebrows shot up. "Seriously?"

"Don't make fun of me, please."

"No, no, I'm not making fun of you, I'm just surprised."

"Why?"

"Cause, you're like, pretty. Really pretty."

Blood rushed to my cheeks. An unsure giggle bubbled up from my throat and I had to resist doing finger guns. "Thanks."

"Have you ever... liked anyone?"

I took a deep breath. "Well, sure. Plenty of people. It's just, all the stuff happened with Max and then my parents right around freshman year, and I didn't really have time to date, you know?"

"What happened with your parents? If you don't mind me asking."

I did mind.  


A little.  


Well, more than a little.  


It wasn't really something I talked about except with Avi and my therapist.

My fingers started to buzz with the anxious feeling that rose every time this subject came up. I cracked my knuckles.

He set his hand on top of mine, drawing my attention to his striking eyes.  
"Hey, you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. I completely understand."

I took a deep breath, smiling softly as I intertwined my shaking fingers with his. I knew I was going to regret it but I started talking anyway.

"Me and my dad were really close growing up. I always favored him over my mom, and Avi favored Mom over him. So it worked out.

Right before my fifteenth birthday my dad got a really big bonus from work. He planned a trip to New York - the place we always talked about going together - just the two of us.

The night before we left, we got into a really big argument. Geez, I can't even remember about what." I laughed softly, tears welling in my eyes. "He threatened to call off the trip, and I stormed off. 

I woke up the next morning, packed and ready to go. I couldn't find him anywhere, though." My voice caught in my throat.

"Finally, I checked the garage... where he had... he... hung himself." 

I looked up at Sokka, vision blurred by tears. A lump caught in my throat at the look on his face. 

Confusion.  
Pain.  
And deep, deep sadness. 

What if I went too far?  
We've only known each other for a couple days, I mean...  
What if I broke everything we had?  
What if he avoided me like everyone else did?  
What if I lost the best thing I've had in a long time?

Without saying anything, he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me against his chest.  
Every fear that had consumed me just a second before melted away as I sobbed into his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry." He mumbled against my ear.  
I hugged him tighter. 

An inexplicable feeling of comfort washed over me, like his arms were exactly where I was supposed to be this whole time.

I pulled away. "I'm s-sorry." I sniffled.  
He wiped a tear off of my cheek with the pad of his thumb. "Don't apologize."

And suddenly, we were caught in that moment again - gazing into each other's eyes. His were like a magnet, constantly drawing me in and searching me to find the piece of him that was missing.

I knew I had that piece but I wasn't quite ready to give it yet.

I stood up, wiping my cheeks with the sleeves of Sokka's hoodie. "Um, I think we should go."

He frowned. "But-"

I didn't let him finish before I started trotting down the bleachers.

I felt bad, but the idea of giving myself wholly to someone - letting them see all of me, every perfect and imperfect thing, and hoping that they'd love me through it all - terrified me.  


Hope was not reliable, it never has been. I wasn't about to risk getting exposed, hurt, broken...for hope.  


So I closed myself off, like I always did. To protect me. To protect others from seeing what I truly am.

It wasn't just for my good, it was for Sokka's.

***

I was quiet the whole way home, partly because I didn't know what to say, and partly because I was pissed that I forgot my ice cream at the football field.

Sokka didn't say anything either - I'm guessing from the fact that he has a sister that he knows better than to try to talk to a girl when she's like this.

We pulled into his driveway and he put the car in park, but locked the doors.

My head snapped towards him.

"Did I do something wrong?" He asked, expressionless as he stared at his hands gripping the steering wheel.

I hurt him.

Oh god, I hurt him.

I needed to make up for this, and quickly.

"No, no, I'm sorry." I breathed, half relieved that he had broken the tension. "You did nothing wrong. It's just... a sensitive topic. I tend to shut down when things get sensitive."

His face softened. "I noticed."

"I've never had a more understanding, supportive friend than you, Sokka."

He flinched so slightly at the word "friend" that I almost didn't catch it.  
"It's alright. I know what it's like to lose a parent or two."

I rested my feet up on the dashboard. "Do you mind me asking what happened to them?"

He rubbed his neck, taking a deep breath.

"Before we moved to the US, there was a war in our country. It had been going on since before I was born. One day, our town was attacked, and my mom was killed."

He said it so easily...?

"I was nine."

Oh. That's why.

"Shortly after, my dad and all his brothers were drafted to fight. I wanted to join, so, so badly, but I wasn't old enough. I had to stay and be the man of the family.

The fighting got worse and worse, and there was no news of my dad or his brothers for a long time. Eventually Gran Gran packed us up and moved us here... we had no other choice."

Despite his seeming lack of emotion, there was a distant look in his eye. 

"We picked up Aang along the way and moved to Philadelphia, where we perfected our American accents." He joked, shifting back to his usual light-hearted self. "Aaand then we moved here."

"Sokka, I'm really sorry about your parents." I said sincerely.

He waved it away. "It's alright. Everyone's gotta have some issue with Mom and Dad, huh? Makes for a cool origin story."

I rested my hand on his arm. "I'm serious."

"So am I."

I held his gaze for a second, then moved my hand. We all have our different coping mechanisms, I guess. 

"I should get going, I'm sleepy." I said, stretching my arms.

There was enough odd tension in the air that this time, he didn't beg me to stay.

"I'll see you tomorrow, I guess?"

"Yep." He answered, popping his lips on the "p". 

My eyebrows dipped. "We cool?"

"Yeah, we're cool."

I nodded, still unsure but taking him at his word.

"I'm gonna need my sweatshirt back, by the way."

I laughed, quickly hopping out of the car. "I'll give it to you tomorrow!"

"Hey, wait-"

I slammed the door, giggling as I jogged down the street back to my house. 

I could hear his laughing voice calling from behind me. "Asshole!"

I turned around, skipping, and blew him a kiss.

Maybe things would be alright, then.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> that was very emotional sorry
> 
> hey do yall wanna know something fun???
> 
> my old acc was "whenautumncame" and i started a peter parker/reader fic... I just read it again and it's actually kinda good doe so i think i may finish it once I'm done with Every Little Thing!!
> 
> if yall get a chance go check it out, it's called "A Normal Teenager"
> 
> LEAVE A COMMENT IN THE COMMENT SECTION AND MAKE MY DAY  
> I LOVE ALL OF YOU SO MUCH
> 
> XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO - strawbs!!


	8. Click

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guyssss thanks for 50 hits!! its probably more than that now lol but thanks!!!!!
> 
> SONG FOR THIS CHAPTER: "Wishful Thinking" - BENEE

Days passed and no midnight adventures.

Though we had only been on like, two, it felt off to be without him.  
We snapped each other, but it was only small talk.  
And I did not like it at all.

"Well, has he mentioned hanging out at all?" Avi asked as she sat on the floor of our room, packing her things into a cardboard box.

"Not really. He's said stuff like 'I feel like I haven't seen you in forever.' But I don't want to ask him to hang out first, you know? I want him to initiate it." I explained, stress-painting clouds onto my vanity mirror.

Avi sighed. "It sounds like you really like him."

My paintbrush stopped moving.

"And I know you don't like that, but you have to admit it to yourself. Some people take a long time to find that person who they really click with. You're lucky you found yours sooner." 

She laughed softly at my tense position. "Lor, it's nothing to be scared of."

I raised my eyebrows. "Do you click with Ben?"

"This isn't about me."

"Do you?"

She huffed. "I... I don't know. In a lot of ways, yes. But everyone has their flaws."

I set down my paintbrush and turned my full attention to her.  
"What did it feel like when you first met?"

She blinked. "Uh... I'm not quite sure."

"Did it feel like you couldn't stop staring at each other? Like every time you looked at him, time just stopped, and it was just you two?"

A smile grew on her face. "It does."

"Then you click." I concluded, resuming my painting.

"Is that how you feel with Sokka?"

I huffed, nodding.

"You can't run from that."

"I'm not running," I answered. "I'm just... worried I said too much and scared him off."

"Well, he probably wouldn't be talking to you at all if you really scared him off. You should just call him."

I shook my head vigorously. "No, he has to call first."

She rolled her eyes. 

"Wait, what's his sister's name again?" She asked.

"Katara."

"Hm."

Avi was silent. A tiny part of me wondered why she wanted to know Katara's name, but the rest of me was focused on shading my clouds.

***

The next evening, I was chopping sweet potatoes in the kitchen when Avi popped her head in.

"Hey, do you wanna go see a movie tomorrow night?" She asked.

I looked up from my potatoes. "Uh... Which movie?"

"Some sci-fi space cowboy thing. I don't know, I kinda just wanted to get out, you know?"

I shrugged. "Sure, why not."

"Cool. Cool, cool, cool." 

She wandered off and I wondered why she was being weird about it but it was too late to ask.

It wasn't long until I heard the door open and the familiar swishing of my mom's scrubs as she walked into the kitchen.

"Whatcha cooking?" She asked, sitting down at the counter.

Sure. No "Hello" or "How was your day, Lorelei?"

I let it go.

"Sweet potatoes and chicken, and peas on the stove." I answered. "You're home early."

She sighed. "Long day. Your dad's birthday is next week, you know."

"Yeah, I know. I was thinking, maybe we could go to the lake for the weekend, get our minds off it."

"We can't afford that, Lori. And I'm working all week, anyway." She took her frizzed hair out from its ponytail and raked her fingers through it.

"I just wanna make sure you're not pushing yourself, Mom." I said gingerly.

"Are you kidding me? I don't need you to treat me like a volatile child, Lor. I can handle myself." She snapped.

I raised my hands in defense. "Alright, alright."

She was silent for a second.

"How are you doing?" She asked. This was her attempt to make herself feel better after yelling at me - not uncommon.

I shrugged. "Alright I guess. Better than last year, anyway."

She laughed softly. "Better than last year."

I could feel her examining me as I wiped down the counter. I prepared myself for whatever came next.

"Geez, the more you tan, the more you look like him. He had those little freckles on the bridge of his nose too."

That was unexpectedly soft.  
I smiled at her, genuinely.

She shook her head quickly, her face hardening. "Do me a favor and bring me a plate when it's ready, okay?"

I nodded, not surprised by her sudden mood change.

She started to walk away but I heard her stop.

"And Lori?"

"Yeah?"

"I know you're determined to think I'm the bad guy. I'm trying my best... I know I'm not perfect. I need you to trust I love you, okay?"

No, I will not.  
"Okay."

She nodded slightly and walked away.

No matter how hard she tried to be a part of me again - no matter how much she manipulated, forced, or sweet-talked, - I wouldn't let her. I knew what happened when I did.

Sorry, not sorry, Mom.

***

The next day, I was finishing up the clouds on my vanity mirror when Avi busted into the room, distressed.

"Ben's having a family emergency." She announced, flopping onto the bed.

I flipped around. "Wait, what?"

"His aunt got into a car wreck and he wants me to go with him to the hospital. I won't be able to make it tonight." 

I blew a piece of caramel-colored hair out of my face. "Okay, no problem. We'll just do it another night."

"No, we can't. I already bought the tickets."

"We can cancel them onli-"

"Just go without me, Lor. You need a night out anyway." She said, tugging on a pair of sneakers.

"But what would I do with the other ticket?"

"I don't know, bring a friend. Gotta go, love you, bye!" She yelled, grabbing her keys and dashing out the door.

I cannot believe her.  
She expected me to bring Sokka!  
No way.

I decided to invite Katara instead to rub it in Avi's face.  
Well, maybe that wasn't a good idea. Sokka might think I was avoiding him on purpose.  
Oh, who cares. It'd be a girls night out!

I picked up my phone and called Katara, drumming my fingers to the trilling of the call.

"Hello?" She picked up.  
"Hey, Katara. So, um, my sister bought some movie tickets for this cowboy alien thing tonight, but she had to cancel last minute. Would you wanna come with me? Like a girls night kind of thing." I blurted, twirling a lock of hair.  
Her giggle echoed over the phone. "That's crazy! Zuko and I were actually gonna go see that tonight, too! You should invite Sokka, we could go get ice cream, make it a double date kind of thing."

So she was in on it too!  
"Oh, um, we're - we're not dating." I stuttered, but she didn't seem to hear me.  
"Look, Sokka's right here, let me hand the phone to him."  
"Oh, no, no, no-"

"Hello?"  
"Heyyyyy, Sokka, what's up?" I giggled nervously.  
"Uh, not much, really."  
"Cool. So, um, here's the thing..."

I explained the situation to him. I was probably rambling because of how nervous I was that when I stopped talking, he would say no.

Finally I managed to make my point.  
"Oh, yeah sure. Sounds cool." He answered.

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.  
"Great."  
"Great. See you then."

He handed the phone back to Katara.

"So Zuko'll come and pick us up in a half hour, sound good?"  
"Yes, sounds good."

She let out one last giggle before hanging up.

Avi and Katara teamed up... Honestly, I was kinda pissed and nervous, but I did have to give them credit. It was pretty clever.

And I also felt incredibly stupid for not having figured it out beforehand.

***

I changed my outfit probably four times.

I finally decided on two low, messy buns, and my ripped black shorts with a yellow tanktop and a loose pink sweater. I don't know why all of a sudden I cared what I wore - it was just about a week ago when I was hanging out with Sokka in my jammies.

Katara texted me to hop the fence and meet them in the front, so I grabbed my stuff and went.  
By the time I got to the front yard, she and Zuko were already in the front seat, so I slid into the back next to Sokka.

"Hey, how are you?" I asked, turning to face him. My breath caught in my throat.

Sokka looked really, really good in all black.  
Holy shit, was he wearing a chain?

"Good. How about you?" He asked, eyes wide.

I coughed. "Um, fine, fine. Still getting up at two in the morning?"

"Yeah, but it's been pretty boring. I've just been playing GTA."

"Pff, that's not boring."

"You play? But you're a girl."

"Hell yeah, I play!" I laughed. "Well, I used to. When I had a Playstation."

"What happened to it?"

My mom sold it so we could afford rent that month.  
"Uh, it broke, and I just... never got around to getting a new one." I answered, fiddling with my ring.

He nodded sympathetically. "You should come over tonight and play it with me."

Yes! 

"Oh, sure! I'm probably not that good anymore, though."

He shrugged. "I was planning on schooling you anyway."

I playfully punched him in the arm. "I'm gonna kick your ass so bad, you won't even have one."

I saw Katara out of the corner of my eye smiling to herself. I didn't like to admit it, but her plan worked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> don't forget to leave a kudos or a comment!!
> 
> I will literally cry from happiness
> 
> love yall sm ok 
> 
> xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo - strawberry!!!!

**Author's Note:**

> new chapters at least 2x a week so subscribe to stay updated!!! love you guys xoxo


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